A Different Life
by Dawn Elliot
Summary: A year after the war, Luna goes back in time to take five-almost-six year old Harry Potter from his horrid cousin, aunt and uncle. This is how Harry Potter is after growing up, loved unconditionally and with a guardian that actually cares for him.
1. Chapter 1

There was this idea that I've had for quite sometime now. I haven't been the most helpful with the war going on. Helena actually told me how to get it in action.

"This will be good for him, Luna. It will."

"Alright. I have everything I need but I need your opinion on something, Helena." I said, rather dreamily.

"Anything." Helena nodded, her ghostly frame floating slightly in front of me.

"How old should he be?" I asked and Helena smiled.

"You already know that." She confirmed and I nodded. I really did. I put the magical gold necklace on and held up the trinket. I twisted it around multiple times.

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1991

1990

1989

1988

1987

1986

Then I stopped and left it go and everything began spinning. People rushed by, walking backwards. Back and back and back. I walked out the grounds and towards Hogsmeade where I could Aparate where I needed to. People were still rushing backwards and I saw that instead of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, it was Zonko's. People continued to run backwards while looking like they were just walking. Back. Back. Back. Back.

It stopped.

I Apparted to a place i've only seen in muggle photos.

Privet Drive. I walked to number four and knocked loudly on the door. A thin, lean woman opened the door and stared at me evenly.

"Yes? Are you a new neighbor?" She asked sweetly.

I don't agree or deny. "My name is Luna Lovegood."

"Petunia Dursley. Would you like a cup of tea?" Petunia smiled, neither warmly or coldly.

"Thank you." I said and stepped in. She closed the door behind me and ushered me into a white room with couches spread around. I sat politely on one and waited.

"Right, your tea." said Petunia. I glanced down at my clothes, glad at my choice for muggle clothing rather then my robes.

"BOY! COME HERE, NOW!" Petunia screeched and I jumped. A small boy with dark hair and bight green eyes scrambled in the room.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia." whispered Harry.

"Make tea." Petunia demanded and Harry rushed off, his oversized pants tripping him.

"I actually came here to ask for a favor. No money or anything from you." I assured her, seeing her suspicious face.

"What do you need?" Petunia sighed.

"I come from your sister's side. I came from the future to give Harry a better life." I said royally.

"You are taking him from us?" Petunia asked giddily.

"Indeed. He doesn't deserve to live with you. I've seen what you either did or do to him and I will not stand for it." I announced firmly.

"Boy! Come here!" Petunia exclaimed in none of her earlier bitterness.

Harry came back immediately with the two tea cups firmly gripped in his hand.

"Here they are, Aunt Petunia." Harry put them gently on coasters and took a step back, as if waiting for further orders.

"I don't care about the teas. Go pack your things. You're leaving with this." She said, gesturing to me. I raised my eyebrow. Harry widened his eyes and smiled grandly, running toward the stairs.

"How old is he?" I asked.

"He will turn six soon." Petunia said nonchalantly. "I don't know whether to thank you for ridding us of the boy or kicking you out for being a freak."

Harry returned with a trash can bag half-filled with toys and a couple clothes.

"Where are we going? Who are you?" Harry asked as we walked outside.

"You are coming to live with me, Harry. My name is Luna Lovegood." I smiled, extending my hand. He shook it and then pulled it back to grip the bag tighter. Then I Apparated with Harry beside me back home. A little girl fell against my legs.

"Are you me?" Little Luna asked and I nod.

"Dad?" I called and Dad came in and gaped at me.

"I come from the future. I brought Harry Potter from his horrible family." I announced.

"Okay. Where is he?" Dad asked and I turned to my side, still expecting him to be there but he wasn't.

"Harry?" I called at the same time Dad called for mini me.

Harry came in from the door to the right with Little Luna following him.

"I need to tell you something, Harry. Something important." I sighed and Harry sat on the floor, cross legged.

"Are you my aunt?" Harry blurted out and I cocked my head.

"No. I come from the future. We are friends. I came back so I can take you away from Petunia and Vernon and Dudley so you could have a better life." I said.

"It's already better, Mum." Harry mumbled, his head suddenly drooping. I sighed again as I picked him up and let him sleep against my chest. Why did he call me 'Mum'?


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Harry was no longer against my chest. In fact, I couldn't find him. At all. I could hear Dad's loud snores mixed with Mum's sleep-talking. MUM?

I jumped up and ran to their bedroom door. I opened it stealthily and gazed at my mother. Considering I was four, I had five years left with her. Maybe I could actually change if she died? Maybe I could save her.

Then the smell of bacon and omlette drifted from the kitchen. My head automatically went dreamy as I followed the compelling smell.

Imagine my surprise when I see Harry cooking in the kitchen. I lean against the counter and watch him cooking in concentration.

He turned around with the pan and scooped the bacon and omlette onto four plates.

"Hi, Mum." Harry said happily, swaying on his feet.

"Good morning, Harry. Won't you have a seat?" I greeted, then asked because he was still on his feet.

"No, it's alright. It's for you, grandpa, grandma, and Luna." Harry smiled.

"Harry, please take one and eat it, Luna eats porridge cause she is really picky, eat her portion for this." I said in exasperation. Harry sat down reluctantly and started eating. We ate in silence, chewing on the surprisingly good bacon and egg.

It really surprised me how Harry hadn't even turned six yet and he could cook a perfect breakfast. When I had finished, Harry was leaning against the back of the stool, deep in thought.

"Are you alright?" I asked him gently.

"Perfect. I was just wondering why you didn't come get me earlier." Harry admitted and I sighed.

"I needed to come to you at a time you could make your own decision about coming with me, besides, I can't travel that far back in time." I said, and Harry nodded slowly.

"What do you mean 'travel in time'? Did you time-travel to come get me? Can you take me back with you?" Harry started looking hopeful and I felt some heat at the back of my neck.

"I'm sorry, Harry, but I can't. The only reason I came back was to take you away from the Dursley's and give you a better life. It's the only reason, and because I know the future, I can help you. I can't take someone from the past, to the future after traveling to the past to change said's person's future. Do you get it?" I explained and Harry said that he did but I could see very clearly that there was an extent the the boy's genius brain.

"Lu?" Luna called, tumbling into the kitchen. I'm guessing Lu came form Luna.

"Mhmm," I hummed and she stood up unsteadily to walk closer. She stretched her arms up and I lifted her up, somehow surprised at how light I used to be. I placed her on my hip and gestured to Harry so he could come with me. He followed me obediently to the sitting room, which was separated from the kitchen by just a simple small cabinet.

They sat down on the couch, the thin blanket folded neatly over the couch's left arm.

"Can you tell me about my real Mum and Dad?" Harry asked quietly, looking at his clasped hands. I nodded and adjusted Luna to sit on my lap. She looked curiously at Harry and I, as if she was wondering if she should tell us about the Nargles that were in the kitchen, helping themselves to my left-overs.

"I can tell you what I know. Alright?" I tucked my legs under my body, wary of still having Luna be comfortable.

"Yes please."

"Your parents were Lily Evans, your aunt's sister, and your dad was James Potter. Your mum was very, very smart, much like a friend of mine,Hermione, and your dad, well, whenever there was trouble, James was always there They met at school and for some reason, your dad hated your mum's best friend, which made her hate your dad. Slowly, Lily started to realize that her feelings were starting to become love. They got married a couple years after they left school and had you."

"There are some Nargles in the kitchen." Luna interrupted, sliding off my lap to skip into the kitchen.

Harry smiled, though it looked strange, as if it was new to him. Smiling.

I grinned back and watched him survey the surroundings, as if last night and this morning had been a dream and now he had to make sure nothing was going to happen to him.

"You're going to be fine, Harry. I'm not going to hurt you. I do have bad news though." I said the last bit sadly. Helena had told me when I first brought up what I was planning to do, that this was a must.

"Please don't send me back to the Dursleys!" Harry cried, throwing himself on me and hanging on to my waist. I slowly detached his arms from my back and cupped his face with my hands.

"I will never send you back." I stated firmly. Harry nodded, now slightly calmer and cleared his throat.

"But you will need to see your cousin every once in a while. When you are older, I am sending you to muggle primary school. You still need to complete your education, Harry." I watched Harry's emerald eyes illustrate fear at mentioning school. Then they become slightly narrowed in thought.

"What's a muggle?" Harry asked suspiciously and I coughed into my hand. That was a bad slip-up. I wasn't planning on telling Harry about magic until he got his letter.

"Sorry, it's a loose term. It means non-boarding school. Your school now is a couple streets away from Dudley's, seeing as we aren't that far away from your home." I explained quickly.

Harry nodded again. "Are you sure I have to?"

"Yes. You do. I would teach you but I don't know what they teach at muggle schools." I admitted and Harry's glance flicked upwards to meet my protective one. Unlike in the future where my feelings for Harry were purely friendship and knowing that even if he knew I was mad, he didn't call me Looney as everyone else did. Now and at this moment for the little Harry in front of me, were more intense. Not romantic in the slightest. More like protective and I would do anything to save him.

"Didn't you go to one?" Harry asked and I widened my eyes. How many slip-ups can I make at once? I should start to keep score.

"No, Harry. I went to a boarding school in Scotland." I said kindly then chastised myself. I was horrible at keeping secret. I wouldn't be surprised if by the end of the day, Harry knew of wizards and witches.

"Can I go too?" Harry asked hopefully. I knew he was going to ask this question but I needed a way to answer it. I sat silently for a moment, thinking of a good enough reason why he couldn't.

"It's much to far away and i'd miss you. Besides, if you'd have a problem, you could only send me a message about it and I wouldn't be able to help you. Here, when you come back, we could work on the solution." I said, handing him something in a packet.

"What is it, Mum?" Harry asked and I took out a second packet, identical to the first.

"It's a way so whenever you need me, all you need to do is ask."

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This is one of the rare times there will be a authors note in this story but I just wanted to apologize for it being so short and thank everybody for reviewing and following! I hope that by the next chapter being posted, I will have more then two reviews waiting for me in my email inbox. Thank you so much, this is by far my most successful story and I am so glad that everyone likes it. Oh my god, I just posted it then read it and where Luna had told Harry about there being bad news, I, by mistake, wrote bed news. Fixed it once I noticed.


	3. Chapter 3

I just needed to say that each chapter after this until Harry reaches Hogwarts, will be a separate year. Thank you so much for following and reviewing and everything, it makes my day.

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Harry opened the packet delicately, tugging on the string slowly and opening it flap by flap. I saw disappointment cloud his face for a millisecond when he saw the broken glass.

"It isn't what you think it is. Look into it and don't look away as I go outside a moment." I said, standing up and walking outside my home. I stopped a couple feet from the main doors and peering at my own package. Opening it at impossible speed, the other shard of the glass slipped into my hand. I stuffed the wrapping paper in my back jeans pocket and then I looked into the mirror. I saw Harry's confused expression staring back at me.

"Mum?" Harry called to the mirror.

"Right here, dear." I smiled, the 'dear' having slipped out.

Harry beamed back. "Neat."

That was my cue, so I stepped back into the house to see Mum standing outside her bedroom door, her blonde hair sticking out at random places.

"Sorry, Mum, for disturbing you. I'll go run your morning bath." I mumbled as I walked towards her room. It wasn't a chore or a command to, it just helped release her nerves. She was nothing, if not nerves. Mrs Lyra Lovegood had plenty of ways to add to her nerves in a mere hour. Forgetting to owl the department downstairs, forgetting to tell the entire Department of Magical Creatures to take turns feeding the dragons in Gringotts, having to leave her wand at the entrance and then she'd have to return every time she needed to preform a spell, she would need to take the elevator downstairs to the entrance to get her wand to preform the spell in her office, implying she had to go back with the wand, to return with the wand again.

"No nerves, today. I'm going to just be working on my chemicals today. Making a potion to change your hair color." Mum smiled dreamily, as I so often do/did in the future. Suddenly, a shot ran through my mind. Chemicals. That was the way she died. I didn't know how to save her if it happened again.

"That's fantastic, Mum. Get me one for turning my hair blue." I chimed in, ignoring my desperate thoughts.

"Can I have one to turn my hair blonde, Grandma?" Harry asked sweetly. Mum nodded, a thin, blonde eyebrow being raised at when Harry called her 'Grandma' and she walked upstairs to her chemical set.

"What do you want to do now, Harry?" I asked him, walking around the couch.

"Anything. Everything." Harry laughed, his emerald eyes blazing with excitement.

"Okay then. Everything and anything, here we come." I squealed, grabbing his hand and pulling him outside into the sunshine.

"Where are we going?" Harry called to me, his smaller legs straining to catch up.

"I want to show you something!" I yelled behind my shoulder, giggling uncontrollably as I slowed down to a place I used to hang out when I was younger. Harry skidded to a stop beside me and gazed upwards. Three large, majestic thestrals were staring back at us. I searched in my pocket and took the slice of raw meat I grabbed off the counter right before showing Harry the mirror. Instantly, the biggest thestral took a step towards me, looking pointedly at the meat. I winked at Harry and threw the meat towards the skinny, winged creature. Harry smiled and rushed up to me, hugging my middle.

"Do you want to try?" I asked him and the small boy nodded happily. I took out the 300 grams meat and handed it to Harry. He took the meat cautiously, his black hair in his eyes, and tossed it to the baby thestral that finished it in an instant.

**BOOM**

Harry and I jumped. I lifted Harry on my hip and broke off into a run towards my home's second floor. When I managed not to drop the boy on the spiraling staircase, I chuckled at the sight in front of me.

Mum's clothes were singed purple and while her hair was standing up like in a mohawk, the tips were orange.

"Oh, Mum." I sighed, a large grin on my face.

"Whoops?" Mum offered weakly.

"Mhmmm," I hummed.

"How about a hair-color-changing potion?" Mum offered, a strand of dirty blonde hair escaping from her newly made bun as she held out two bottles. I took a step back.

"Oh no, no, no." I repeated. I wasn't planning on getting my clothes blown up.


	4. Chapter 4

"Happy birthday to you!" My family chorused and Harry beamed at us from behind his new muggle glasses.

"Thank you so much!" Harry gushed, glancing at Luna who was tugging on Dad's robes.

"Open this," I suggested, giving him my wrapped package. He smiled and unwrapped it slowly.

His ninth birthday had just come around and Harry had gotten used to having a family and he relished the monthly Nargle hunting we had.

Then I finally realized that I had zoned out through the whole present-giving ritual.

"Mum?" Harry said and something in his tone told me that he had been repeating my name for some time.

"Sorry, Harry. I was just day-dreaming." I smiled at him and he beamed back.

"Do I really have to go to bed now?" Harry asked quietly with an edge of exasperation.

"No. You're a big boy now, Harry. So that means that tonight, you can stay until midnight. Does that sound okay?" I said and Mum gave me a thumbs up at my parenting.

"Perfect. Can we finally please meet the Weasley's? You keep speaking about them, when can I meet them?" inquired Harry.

"I think that perhaps Fred and George can come if it's alright with Mrs Weasley but other then that, I cant do much." I thought aloud.

"Dad? Can you please take Harry and Luna to the backyard? I need to call Mrs Weasley." I hinted, and Dad herded Harry and Luna out.

"Luna? Are you alright?" A voice said and I was surprised to see Mum speaking.

I thought for a moment, then nodded. "I am, it's just that parenting is much harder then I thought when I first took Harry away from the Dursley's. I didn't ever regret the choice but i'm starting to wonder if he got most of his most-liked traits from the Dursley's." I mumbled, throwing floo powder in the empty fireplace and watching it turn green as I said, "The Burrow."

"Hello, Mrs Weasley." I said into the fire. Mrs Weasley's face appeared in the flames as she was peering at me with curiosity.

"Hello, dear. Is there something you need? Fred! George! Get away from your brother's cake! Sorry." She apologized after yelling at the twins.

"Actually, yes. I wondered if I could take Fred and George out of your hair for a couple hours later today. It's my son's birthday and I have been telling him all about your family. He would really like to meet everybody but since I know what I trouble the twins are with you, I could have them over for a bit." I offered and Mrs Weasley smiled kindly.

"Thank you, dear. I'll have them over right away. I need to prepare Charlie's birthday tomorrow and they continue to get in the way." Mrs Weasley thanked, walking out of the fire's line of view, it going out with a sizzle.

I stood up slowly and then heard a bellow of "FUN TIME!"

Turning around abruptly, almost eleven year old Fred and George Weasley were grinning in the fireplace.

"Boys, do me the biggest favor and I'll get you something from Zonko's. Don't tell or show or do anything that might lead to Harry finding out about magic." I whispered urgently and they nodded. Harry, at hearing his name, walked in and chuckled lightly at the sight of the two twins pulling faces.

"So you must be Harry Lovegood. Pleasure to meet you, sir." Fred said liltingly, waving a hand over his shoulder airily.

"Pleasure, good sir." George chimed in, bowing at Harry who laughed aloud. I winked at the two boys who continued their facade, laughing and joking with Harry about things that no adults should know about. I hoped that Harry enjoyed his ninth birthday. After all, you only turn nine once.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry, I planned for this chapter to be longer but I just posted what I had and made it into a mini-cliffhanger because I hadn't posted in ages.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, even if I stole JK Rowling.

* * *

"Harry, put your radish necklace on." I said urgently, seeing many Wackspurts fizzing around, "You need to be protected."

Harry nodded seriously and did as was told. It was eleventh birthday today and it was the day he would get his letter. He had had some cases of accidental magic; he had somehow flown to the roof of his school when his new school had mixed with Dudley's and he had been trying to get away, he had met Hermione and when I said that he couldn't have her over, he tried to convince me otherwise by making cookies and he, when I still said no, made the oven explode.

"There, pay attention, dears," Dad whispered, ushering Harry, Luna and I closer. It had turned out that I even if I had saved Mum that first day, I couldn't be there the second. She had still died and Harry and Luna had both been present while I had been getting the groceries. It had broken my heart to know that Harry and Luna would see thestrals now, because of what they had gone through. The duo had cried for a full week, not coming out of their rooms but something got Luna to come out, and she convinced Harry to leave his moping behind and to live everyday like it was his last. _Being happy._

The entire day was filled of Wrackspurts and Nargle hunting in the forest. I wasn't as into it as I usually was because of the letter I knew would come by owl today. A letter that would make Harry hate me for a while. A letter to something I had kept secret from.

"Mum? Are you alright?" Harry asked suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts. I hesitated a moment before smiling and taking his hand and racing to the top of the hill where Luna and Dad were crawling about the ground, checking for prints.

We had, by now, searched for a couple hours, coming out victorious, and then an owl swooped past, landing gracefully on the branch in front of Harry, a leg outstretched and a white, unopened letter attached.

I guess it was time for Harry to know.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I am, in fact, still alive. I know the chapters are short and the update times between each other are long its just I have school and then about fifteen other fics (ONLY ON ) that I am writing. I also have others that I want to reach my goal of ten chapters before posting. I hope you enjoy the chapter! Thank you: reviewers, followers, favouriters. It means the world to me. **

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I watched Harry's green eyes glow as they read carefully over the letter.

"Did you know?" Harry's voice was small and hurt.

"Yes. Come inside, though. The Air-Swimming Sarglehum's might hear you." I quickly walked inside, and removed my large star-shaped glasses after beckoning Luna and Dad inside.

A minute later, Harry, Luna and Dad were on the couch, looking up at me.

"Harry, look-" I told him everything. I told him that I wasn't his mother, biological or adopted and I told him of my travels. I left out what I knew of his adventures at Hogwarts, in fear of scaring him.

"I see why you didn't tell me, Mum, but I still would have wanted to know. How have you managed to hide the magic from me, though?" Harry asked, disappointment and curiosity on his face.

"That's the thing. We haven't. We've tried to not do magic around you but other than that, Dad just explained the rest as being the Nargles fault."

"You mean, the Nargles weren't responsible for turning you purple?"

"I think, Harry, Luna means that while it was the Nargles fault for making you angry, it was also accidental magic," Luna explained, her small hands waving around to help her point.

"Exactly," I confirmed.

Harry nodded slowly, as if to grasp what happened. "Does this mean that I am magical?"

I just smiled at him.

"Now what?"

"We must go to Diagon Alley, Harry, for your supplies. You would need robes, cauldrons, a wand and lots more." Dad said excitedly. He hadn't gone to Diagon Alley since he was in school himself.

"Yes, we must do that. I must also travel to Hogwarts to speak to Helena. But first, we should eat. Nargle Hunting Day is best on a full stomach," I said.

Reluctantly, Harry and Luna walked to the kitchen and sat on two stools as I spoke a few words with Dad.

"That went much better than I would have thought," mused Dad quietly.

I nodded. "I was hoping he wouldn't get angry at me and I am glad he didn't."

"This really could have been much worse."

"I know."

"Thank you, Luna, for bringing him from his aunt and uncle's place. I think he is much happier here." Dad was smiling ruefully, reminiscing on when I brought Harry to Mum and him.

"I would like to think so." Then I quickly added, "can you make those pancakes you do for my birthday?"

Dad's smile upped a notch. "Anything for my children."


End file.
